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‘Kids are still kids’: Galena ARC officials prepares for the childcare road ahead

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GALENA–ARC staff has been taking recent news of the school closings in stride, awaiting each press conference or executive order in hopes that their services of childcare can still be provided for the working families they serve.

Dave Decker, executive director, said that he and the board have made the decision to close everything at the center except the childcare program.

“The number one thing that we can do is keep childcare going, because that is such an asset to those that still have to work,” said Decker. “All other programming has been halted until everything turns around.”

Decker said that theoretically the recreation programs are fewer than 10, but they won’t allow those programs at this time during the pandemic while children are in the building.

Brenda Jakel, ARC childcare director, has been working tirelessly along with her staff to ensure that the building is a safe and clean environment for all the children.

Jakel said that staff are working on having students in groups of 10 with a staff member present. On March 17, the ARC had 45 children through a range of age-groups. On March 18. There were about 35. The week that the closures occurred was supposed to be spring break for Galena, so the childcare center was prepared for a large number.

“The families that signed up for spring break are still coming,” said Jakel. “Now, there are others that are in need of service. Some of the spring break families are finding ways to stay home with the kids and allowing other families to come back in that need childcare until this ends.”

Jakel said that she isn’t seeing much of a change in the children in terms of their mood or their actions. She said that the one change for the older kids is that they are complaining about having to wash their hands more frequently than before, but Jakel and the staff have explained it to them.

The main change at the facility has been that Decker and Jakel are now having to meet every child at the door, where in the past parents were able to enter the building and bring the kids into their room.

Another change is one that other childcare facilities have adopted in that they are stamping the child’s hands. Jakel said that the goal is to get the stamp cleaned off each time they wash their hands.

“We have upped the game on sanitizing the building, we have upped our game on kids washing their hands, and we are also monitoring the kids regularly if anyone is seeming lethargic or not feeling well, we are reading their temperature,” said Jakel.

Jakel said that the center does have the staffing needed to sustain the change in group size restrictions.

“We are starting to put a list together that if all childcare centers are shut down that we are able to do some things to keep people working,” said Jakel.

Decker said that they haven’t seen an increase in people requesting childcare services, but that he anticipates that it could happen.

“I think Brenda and I would both agree that Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) and the Jo Daviess County Health Department have been fantastic,” said Decker. “They have been spot on. They communicate frequently and what they have said has happened. I think they have been very good for us. They value childcare and they know that it is needed for business to continue.”

Jakel said that no matter what the future holds, the goal of the ARC is exactly what they are doing now, helping the community as best as they can.

“Even if we are down to five families needing us, we are still going to remain open,” said Jakel. “We aren’t looking to shut down unless the health department or the Governor of Illinois tells us.”

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Jakel said that there was a webinar with other childcare centers across the Illinois and they all have questions and are setting precedents for other state catastrophes that could happen.

“We are going to fit everyone in that we can get into the building,” said Jakel.

Jakel said that they will use some activities that are used in years past for summer camp to keep the students working and continuing to learn.

The ARC has also reached out to community organizations to see how they can help. Last week, Jakel reached out to the nursing home and the students are drawing and writing letters to nursing home residents as they are unable to receive visitors due to the pandemic.

“The kids that can write letters are writing letters and we are able to use their names to make it a little more personal,” said Jakel. “I will keep reaching out to the community to see who else we can reach out to.”

Jakel said that she is working on doing some sort of project for first responders.

“Giving a little thank you note for all the work that they do, because they are still out on the frontlines,” said Jakel.

Decker said that sanitation has always been important to staff at ARC.

“Now it is just a matter of watching over the students more and making sure they are taking proper precautions,” said Decker. “We are monitoring the cleanliness more than before.”

“The biggest thing for the kids is trying to wrap their brain around why they are washing their hands so much,” said Jakel. “It is almost like the kids are a little more calmer than they normally are during a typical spring break.”

Jakel said that the changes have been challenging for some. The older students understand the situation more than the younger students, but all the children still act as children during these trying times.

“Kids are still kids,” said Jakel. “They are still touching their face, they are still picking their nose. We are trying to be more proactive, and I think for the most part it is working out well.”

Toys are being sanitized regularly for all age groups, especially the toddlers and infants.

“The health department has commended us and told us what we are doing was what they would recommend,” said Jakel.

Jakel said that listening to others in the childcare field that haven’t thought about a curbside service shows how forward-thinking the staff at the ARC has been throughout this situation.

Another of the challenging aspects for the ARC staff is that they are so used to children hugging them throughout the day and kisses on the top of the head. Jakel tells them that no child will ever walk out of the building without a hug, but tells staff to make sure they disinfect before and after.

“Some things are unavoidable,” said Decker. “Yesterday, I was sitting on the couch and immediately kids came over and started crowding around. The kids started asking about Bob Buehler. It gave me an opportunity to tell them about him and his impact. I was able to give them a history lesson. Of course when they left, I disinfected myself, but we don’t need to shoo them away, they don’t need that right now.”

“I keep telling the staff to just breathe,” said Jakel. “That’s all we can do right now is breathe.”